This invention relates to apparatus for totalizing sales of items vended at different prices, and more particularly to apparatus for totalizing the sales of a vending machine (a vendor).
The invention is especially concerned with apparatus for totalizing the sales of a vendor having a plurality of selection circuits for vending items at different prices in the series of values 5.cent., 10.cent., 15.cent., 20.cent., 25.cent., etc. (e.g., 50.cent., 75.cent., $1.00), each circuit being energized upon establishment of credit in the vendor at least equal to the price of a desired item and actuation of a respective selection means (e.g., a selection switch) for completing the respective selection circuit.
There are many electrically operated vendors on location, and it is anticipated that many electrically operated vendors will be supplied to vending machine operators, which utilize an electrical coin handling device of the type disclosed in the coassigned Schuller et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,838 adapted to accept nickels, dimes and quarters and to control the vending of items at prices in the series of values 5.cent., 10.cent., 15.cent., 20.cent., 25.cent., etc. (which series comprises whole multiples of 5.cent., and which may be referred to as the 5.cent. series). The device shown in said U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,838 controls the energization of selection circuits for vending items at different prices, such as the circuits indicated at L6-L10 in said patent, each such circuit being energized upon establishment of credit in the vendor in which the device is used at least equal to the respective price, and actuation of a respective selection means (e.g., a selection switch) for completing the circuit. These coin-handling devices, which may handle change-making functions as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,838 or which may operate on an exact change basis without any change function, totalize only the amount of coin deposited on each vend; it has not been feasible to utilize them directly for totalizing sales for various reasons including their relatively high reset speed, which is generally too fast for directly actuating suitable registers.